KEYS joins the feeding fight

Handing Out 64,000 Meals a Week

By Natalie Broda - The Oakland Press

Keys Grace Academy in Madison Heights provides food services for 14 other charter and private schools normally — Now, they’re serving up meals to the tune of 265,000 per month.

With meal distribution sites in Southfield, Pontiac, Madison Heights, Hazel Park and Detroit, the academy is helping to feed about 6,000 kids each day. Like public schools, the academy was able to access federal free and reduced lunch and summer feeding program funds to open meal sites for anyone under 18.

“Something kind of incredible has happened in all this showing there is light in dark times,”

Dylan Kalasho, director of food service, said. “There’s no division or politics here. It’s all about how we can get these kids food. We’re servicing public, private and charter school kids. The politics just don’t exist now,”

Keys Grace has also kept 20 of its bus drivers employed to deliver food to homes in the Madison Heights area. Kalasho said the school’s community includes a fair amount of new immigrants and refugees without access to transportation. The academy is also sending out care packages to students whose families observe the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Food distribution with Keys Grace Academy. 

Submitted Photo - Courtesy of Keys Grace Food Service

“This is a scary time for all of us. But we have students who have fled war zones to come here who are scared. Anything we can do to make this transition easier for them, we’ll do,” Kalasho said. “We’re planning a virtual graduation ceremony, we’re celebrating birthdays on social media. We’re doing everything in our power to let them know this year was not a waste.”

Groceries and non-perishable food items are also available at the school’s food distribution sites, a list of which can be found at keysacademies.com.